Heat absorbent resilient pad and method of making the same



Dec. 21, 1954 J. ZIMARIK 2,697,679

HEAT ABSORBENT RESILIENT PAD AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed June 7,1950 INVEN TOR. JOHN ZIMARIK 4114mm izm ATTORNEY HEAT ABSORBENTRESILIENT PAD AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME John Zimarik, Akron, OhioApplication June 7, 1950, Serial No. 166,724 7 Claims. (c1.1s4-127 Thisinvention relates to resilient pads, and in particular toheat-resistant, resilient padding, as for use on steam-heated pressingboards or blocks and to a method of making the same.

Heretofore, there has been on the market for this purpose a paddingconsisting of laminations of wire mesh material encased between outerlayers of heat resistant or fireproof fabric. This material, while beingsatisfactory with respect to steam permeability and heat absorbingqualities was unsatisfactory for other reasons, such as that at leastafter a short period of use, the padding lost its desired resiliency.Also, the wire had a tendency to break up or crumble, due to repeatedflexing in use with a resultant settling of the particles to the bottomof the pad, and in the case of pads used in a vertical plane thesettling particles built up the thickness of the pad near the bottomedge thereof. Other materials having desired permanent resiliency couldnot be used for the present purposes because they lacked porositynecessary to permit passage of steam therethrough.

A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved pador padding material which will have desired permanent resiliency as wellas having necessary porosity, combined with heat-retaining and fireproofqualities.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pad of the characterdescribed utilizing a body of fine wire, wherein the wire will not breakup and settle to the bottom to affect uniformity of thickness of thepad.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of producingpadding of the character described.

Another object of the invention is to provide an economical pad materialof the character described which is moisture-proof and rust-proof.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following briefdescription and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view, substantially full sized and partlyin full and partly in phantom, illustrating primary steps in the methodof producing padding in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse cross-section, on the same scale, through amold in which the padding is subjected to pressure and heat ofvulcanization.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top perspective view, on the same scale, of aportion of the finished padding made by the present method.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-section, on the same scale, of amodified form of padding made in accordance with the invention.

Referring particularly to Figure 3, there is shown a portion of theimproved padding, composed of a multiplicity of layers 11, 11 of openmesh, fine wire woven material. The fineness of the wire of the meshmaterial, for example, may be approximately .002 inch in diameteralthough finer or courser wire may be utilized depending on the metal ofthe wire and the purposes for which the padding is to be used. For steamtables stainless steel may be utilized because of its known resistanceto rusting. These layers 11 are bonded into a substantially integral,compact mass or body 12, by means of resillent rubber or like plasticmaterial impregnated through the mass and vulcanized or otherwise fusedthroughout the same in a manner which coats the wire without filling 1nthe openings of the layers or which otherwise materially minimizes theporosity of the padding. The laminated 2,697,679 Patented Dec. 21, 1954structure 12 may be encased or adhered between layers 13 and 14 ofporous, substantially fireproof material, such as square-woven asbestosfabric.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3, one method of making the padding is asfollows: The body 12 formed of superposed laminations 11 of open-work oropen mesh, fine stainless steel, woven wire material is firstimpregnated with a vulcanizable rubber-like or resilient material suchas latex. This step, for example, may be accomplished by spraying thelatex through the laminated mass, or the latter may be dipped in a latexbath. In either instance, the fluid consistency of the latex iscontrolled so that the Wire of the material is uniformly coated withoutsubstantially closing the openings through the wire mesh material. Otherbonding materials of resilient nature may be utilized, such as syntheticrubber, and suitable synthetic resins having rubber-like resiliency andbonding qualities.

Next, the latex-impregnated laminated body 12 is placed between twoplatens 15 and 16 of a mold, which are pressed together topredeterminately reduced thickness of said body 12, after which the moldis subjected to heat for vulcanization of the latex. The resultantstructure is a heat absorbent, heat resistant, porous, laminatedpadding, wherein the wire mesh layers are bonded or adhered togetherinto a unitary mass having substantially permanent resiliency. In saidvulcanizing step, outer layers 13 and 14 of fireproof material, such assquarewoven asbestos fabric may be included in the mold to bond thelayers to the latex in the laminated body. Other suitable means,however, may be utilized to bond the asbestos fabric to the laminations,during or subsequent to the vulcanizing step. One or more layers of finemesh or gauze wire may be applied as outer laminations on body 12, inwhich instance the asbestos fabric need not be used.

As shown in Figure 4, the method contemplates utilization of anagglomerated mass of steel wool, or similar loose, heat absorbentresilient material, for the body 12 of the padding. The steps of themethod are otherwise as set forth above.

Thus, has been provided an improved method for producing a new materialwhich is highly desirable in the clothes-pressing or laundry ironingfield, for example. The improved padding will retain its resiliency forlong periods of time and will not lose its porosity sohighly necessaryto the passage of steam away from work being pressed or ironed.Moreover, because a resilient coating completely covers the wire of padbody 12 the wire is adequately moisture-proofed and rust-proofed and,therefore, need not be of the expensive stainless steel variety. Theresilient coating material minimizes or prevents breaking up of the wireinto small particles, due to flexing and even if particles do break offthey cannot sift to a bottom or bottom edge of the pad to affect theuniformity of thickness thereof.

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A heat absorbent pad material, comprising laminae of open mesh wovenwire providing a relatively thick body, said body being impregnated withresilient plastic material surrounding the wire of the laminae withoutsubstantially closing the openings thereof, said resilient materialbonding the laminae together in a composite mass of the body.

2. Heat absorbent padding, comprising a multiplicity of laminae of openmesh woven wire material providing a relatively thick body, said bodybeing impregnated with vulcanizable resilient material surrounding thewire of the laminae without substantially closing the openings thereof,said resilient material being vulcanized to bond the lami' nae togetherin a composite mass of the body, the open mesh characteristic of saidWire material being retained whereby said body is uniformlysubstantially porous.

3. Heat absorbent padding, comprising a multiplicity of laminae of openmesh woven wire material providing a relatively thick body, said bodybeing impregnated with vulcanizable resilient material surrounding thewire of the laminae without substantially closing the openings thercoflsaid'resilient material being vulcanized to bond the laminae together ina composite mass of 'the body, the open mesh characteristic of said wirematerial thereby being retained whereby said body is uniformlysubstantially porous, said body being attached between outer layers ofporous heat-resistant-fabric.

4. Heat absorbent padding, comprising a multiplicity of laminae of openmesh woven wire providing arelatively thick body, said body beingmaterial impregnated with vulcanizable resilient material surroundingthe wire of the laminae without substantially closing the openingsthereof, said resilient material vulcanized to bond the laminae togetherin a composite mass of the body, the open mesh characteristic of saidwire material thereby being retained whereby the body isuniforrnlysubstantially porous, said laminated structure having attached to atleast one side thereof a layer of porous asbestos fabric.

5. A method of making heat-resistant padding, comprising the steps ofproviding a body composed of lamination's of open mesh woven wirematerial, impregnating said body with vulcanizable resilient materialwithout substantially closing the open-work of the laminations,compressing the impregnated body to predetermined reduced thickness, andvulcanizing the compressed body into a unitary mass which is resilientand porous.

6. A method of making heat-resistant padding, comprising the steps ofproviding a body composed of laminations of open mesh woven wirematerial, impregnating said body with heat-bendable resilient materialwithout substantially closing the open-work of the laminae,compressingthe'impregnated body'to predetermined reduced thickness, andapplying heat to the compressed body to bond the same into a unitarymass which is resilient and porous.

7. A method of making heat-resistant padding, comprising the steps ofproviding a body composed of laminations of open mesh woven wirematerial, impregnating said body with vulcanizable resilient materialwithout substantially closing the open-work of the laminae, compressingthe impregnated body to predetermined reduced thickness between layersof porous heat-resistant fabric, and vulcanizing the compressed bodyinto a unitary mass which is resilient and porous.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,117,371 'Slayte'r May 17, 1938 2,262,455 Goodloe Nov. 11,1941 2,382,141 Dawson et al. Aug. 14, 1945 2,571,334 Browne Oct. 16,1951 2,574,849 Talalay Nov. 13, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date477,492 Great Britain Dec. 31, 1937

7. A METHOD OF MAKING HEAT-RESISTANT PADDING, COMPRISING THE STEPS OFPROVIDING A BODY COMPOSED OF LAMINATIONS OF OPEN MESH WOVEN WIREMATERIAL, IMPREGNATING SAID BODY WITH VULCANIZABLE RESILIENT MATERIALWITHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSING THE OPEN-WORK OF THE LAMINATE, COMPRESSINGTHE IMPREGNATED BODY TO PREDETERMINED REDUCED THICKNESS BETWEEN LAYERSOF POROUS HEAT-RESISTANT FABRIC, AND VULCANIZING THE COMPRESSED BODYINTO A UNITARY MASS WHICH IS RESILIENT AND POROUS.